Today, on Strobist

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
DigitalRailroad group:

Do you have a digitalrailroad.net account?  How do you use it?

   o No - I don't have a digitalrailroad.net account
   o Yes - I have a digitalrailroad.net account and it IS my primary vehicle
   o Yes-  I have a digitalrailroad.net account, but  it is NOT my primary
vehicle
   o I'm a pro - or I'm at least serious about making an income from photography
   o I'm not a pro - photography is more of a hobby


To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalRailroad/surveys?id=2080342

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "charles.mauzy" <cmauzy@...>
wrote:
>
> Mike,
>
> Done.  I am a member of the DRR leadership team.
>
> I will also be launching a members blog toward the end of next week
which will provide more
> detailed updates on  DRR.  I will post a link here once it's live.
>
> Best | CMz
>
>
> --- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Baird (Michael L.
Baird)" <mike@> wrote:
> >
> > If anyone is in communication with DDR management please do invite
> > them to join this Yahoo! Group as well.
> >
> >
>
Good news CMz (Charles),

I guess my first question, if you are here to help answer any of our
questions, is since the membership cost is quite high, there may be a
very sound reason, can you help explain this to us photographers, such
a smyself that are just launching their career professionally? I get
the feeling that DRR is an appropriate site for those somewhat better
established.

Care to address this question? And for the record I am a legal
business as a photographer, just fairly new.

Many Thanks

Mike,

Done.  I am a member of the DRR leadership team.

I will also be launching a members blog toward the end of next week which will
provide more
detailed updates on  DRR.  I will post a link here once it's live.

Best | CMz


--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Baird (Michael L. Baird)"
<mike@...> wrote:
>
> If anyone is in communication with DDR management please do invite
> them to join this Yahoo! Group as well.
>
>

If anyone is in communication with DDR management please do invite
them to join this Yahoo! Group as well.

--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Skelcher" <pskelch@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
> First post.
> Just started to upload first sets of images to my DRR archive and feel
> very optimistic about the future of such portals as DRR and
> Photoshelter now that marketing strategies are in place for both.
>
> Charles Mauzy (CEO) has just entered into the discussion on the
> Stockphoto Yahoo group about plans and changes for DRR and will
> apparently be blogging in more detail on the DRRR site next week.
>
> Paul
>

Hi Everyone,

First post.
Just started to upload first sets of images to my DRR archive and feel
very optimistic about the future of such portals as DRR and
Photoshelter now that marketing strategies are in place for both.

Charles Mauzy (CEO) has just entered into the discussion on the
Stockphoto Yahoo group about plans and changes for DRR and will
apparently be blogging in more detail on the DRRR site next week.

Paul

I also talked to Digitalrailroad's George Olson today, and he reminds
me that their services have been constantly improving - certainly
worth a review if you have not visited recently

Interesting. Improving services through a lessened staff? How would
you explain this? Or do I have this wrong? I heard just this morning
that they have laid off staff.

Rich


--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Baird" <mike@...> wrote:
>
> I highly recommend Dan Heller's http://www.danheller.com/bizfaq.html for
> those of you interested in the Photography Business, and
> http://www.danheller.com/model-release.html for Model Releases and other
> legal aspects of taking and selling images.  Dan has several books
> http://tinyurl.com/24cy2o  that are all tops.
>
>
>
> I also talked to Digitalrailroad's George Olson today, and he reminds me
> that their services have been constantly improving - certainly worth a
> review if you have not visited recently
> http://marketplace.digitalrailroad.net/  and
http://www.digitalrailroad.net/
>
>
>
>
> Mike Baird  mike [at] mikebaird dot com   <http://morro-bay.com/>
> http://morro-bay.com   <http://mikebaird.com/> http://mikebaird.com
> <http://bairdphotos.com/> http://bairdphotos.com  Morro Bay, CA   (805)
> 772-2044; Cell (805) 704-0069  To assure I receive your e-mail, add
"must
> read" to the subject line.  Latest photos are at
> <http://flickr.com/photos/mikebaird> http://flickr.com/photos/mikebaird
>

I hadn't heard this but it is not surprising. After all the annual
cost of membership is very high. Let me ask you Mario, how long you
have been a member and from that length of time do you consider a DRR
membership an asset or a liability?

I ask this as I know of another member who adamently confirms that his
membership has taken him to the top. That must mean both himself and
DRR staff are marketing his archive for very good sales.

As for how this may affect you, it may or may not. This all depends on
how you are currently doing as a direct rtesult of being associated
with DRR.

Email me privately if you like.

Rich

--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "mariov_photola"
<mariov_photola@...> wrote:
>
>
> It really concerns me that the recently shake and slimming down of the
> staff at DRR is going to effect my archiev and therefore my business.
> After making some inquiries and the folks at DRR not answering the
> phone i can only feel a sense of misgiving about the future of DRR as a
> business.
>
> If DRR is strapped for cash because of shortcoming in there business
> plan how will the future be for the photog and agency members of DRR ?
>
> Mario Villafuerte, PJ
> mariov_photola@...
>

It really concerns me that the recently shake and slimming down of the
staff at DRR is going to effect my archiev and therefore my business.
After making some inquiries and the folks at DRR not answering the
phone i can only feel a sense of misgiving about the future of DRR as a
business.

If DRR is strapped for cash because of shortcoming in there business
plan how will the future be for the photog and agency members of DRR ?

Mario Villafuerte, PJ
mariov_photola@...

--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "takeitez2" <takeitez2@...> wrote:
>
> Really when I signed up I thought perhaps others would be discussing
> the interplay dynamics which go on at DRR. Can anyone for instance
> tell me if the costs of DRR are worthwhile? Or how do you increase
> contacts from being associated with DRR?
>

C'Mon there has to be a few that have a history at DRR & can give us
insight as to the value, effectiveness & level of professionalism
there.  Is it true that contacts generally pay off in real returns? Or
does one have to be connected? It is rather expensive.

--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "donnaclpppr" <dculpepper@...>
wrote:
>
> We are wondering whether to join Digital Railroad, and would like to
> know if any of you have opinions or experience with selling via this
> website.  If so, do you think it is worth the trouble & expense?  Are
> buyers really using it?  Thanks.
>

Well I'm going to attempt to answer this as no one else has come
around. DRR is designed for the PRO Photographer. The buyers are also
professionals. This is not something most of us can expect to join and
break into. The buyers you are likely to run into here are 90%, if not
100% of the time buying from the same photographers they have known
for years or have been introduced to because of social contacts. These
familiar photographers don't have to ask how to do much of anything.
Their digital uploads are never a bother requiring any help or
assistance and understand exactly what each individual buyer wants.
This is ground for the true Professional.

Having said that, allow me to encourage you to try anywhere you like.
DRR is the place I will eventually register at but I have a ton of
work to do before I am ready to shell out the cash and upload several
hundred images just for starters. I am referring to images I am very
proud of, not just good photos. So for me I have work to do. Beside
that I need many more shoots to accumulate enough to feel like I'm
ready for DRR. You may be ready as you are. Be that the case, don't
hesitate. I do have a mutual friend, whom is not only a photographer
of some professional talent but also a writer. He tells me because of
his books that he had developed over the years enough contacts that
DRR works well for him.

I hope I have not discouraged you, but offered instead an objective
opinion of what DRR is about.

Donna et al., I've always recommended Digital Railroad for say the
serious photojournalist working in the field and interacting with
editors... for less costly and informal image management, I highly
recommend http://Flickr.com - although recognize that each serves
vastly different markets and needs.  My http://bairdphotos.com has a
fairly comprehensive evaluation of the many photo sharing sites now
available.  Best Success, Mike Baird   mike at mikebaird dot com


--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "donnaclpppr" <dculpepper@...>
wrote:
>
> We are wondering whether to join Digital Railroad, and would like to
> know if any of you have opinions or experience with selling via this
> website.  If so, do you think it is worth the trouble & expense?  Are
> buyers really using it?  Thanks.
>

We are wondering whether to join Digital Railroad, and would like to
know if any of you have opinions or experience with selling via this
website.  If so, do you think it is worth the trouble & expense?  Are
buyers really using it?  Thanks.

Really when I signed up I thought perhaps others would be discussing
the interplay dynamics which go on at DRR. Can anyone for instance
tell me if the costs of DRR are worthwhile? Or how do you increase
contacts from being associated with DRR?

Wow did I take a long time to answer. Sorry but I don't check my Yahoo
mail very often. No one from DRR ever answered either? So what are you
proposing? I'm not clear what you mean by using rates.

Rich


--- In DigitalRailroad@yahoogroups.com, "Marcos Issa" <agencia@...> wrote:
>
> Hi people,
>
> Currently dragging and dropping is the only way to place images in a
specific sequence. In
> order to make this easier (it is really boring) I'd suggested to use
the rates. They answered
> me:"It's a good idea" but nothing happened.
>
> What do you think about it? Maybe, if more of us ask them for this
improvement, it will
> happens.
>
> Regards and sorry my bad english.
>
> Marcos
>

Hi people,

Currently dragging and dropping is the only way to place images in a specific
sequence. In
order to make this easier (it is really boring) I'd suggested to use the rates.
They answered
me:"It's a good idea" but nothing happened.

What do you think about it? Maybe, if more of us ask them for this improvement,
it will
happens.

Regards and sorry my bad english.

Marcos